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The vasilopita is a greek bread (commonly made from almonds, lemon, orange, seeds, cherry, butter, and eggs), that is associated with a miracle and with the New Year. To learn more about it and the tradition around it, keep reading!

Its Miraculous Origins

The vasilopita dates back to the 4th century and gets its name from the archbishop, Basil the Great of Caesarea. Back then, the already poverty-stricken people of Caesarea were removed from their valuables (coins, jewels) by a ruler who demanded an extra tax.
Seeing this horrifying situation, the archobishop spoke to the ruler and requested that the poor people were left alone and that their belongings were returned to them.
After their conversation, the ruler agreed. The problem now was getting every single item to their rightful owner.
The archbishop had an idea: bake all of those valuables into a giant bread and share the bread with the people. When he did, however, he noticed that everybody got their exact belongings back, making this a miracle!

The New Year's Tradition

Nowadays, people celebrate that miracle on January 1st (day of Saint Basil) by baking a bread with a single coin in it. The bread is then sliced and served to guests from older to younger. Whoever gets the coin is then presented with a small gift to celebrate their good luck.

Great Harvest, the Best Bakery in Austin

If this new year, you want to be lucky enough to find the freshest, most delicious whole grain bread, look no further than Great Harvest in Austin.Call (512) 329-9216 to learn more about the flavorful menu from the best bakery in Austin.